


A Little Song, A Little Dance, A Little Swing

by the_afterlight



Category: High School Musical
Genre: M/M, hsmbigbang
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-11
Updated: 2009-12-11
Packaged: 2017-10-04 08:38:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_afterlight/pseuds/the_afterlight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes things happen unexpectedly. Losing a bet has Chad spending a lot more time with Ryan Evans; the funny thing is, losing a bet has never made Chad feel so much like a winner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Fanmix by [](http://mybabyangel.livejournal.com/profile)[mybabyangel](http://mybabyangel.livejournal.com) can be found [here](http://the-afterlight.livejournal.com/8598.html)!
> 
> Thanks to [](http://elishabet.livejournal.com/profile)[elishabet](http://elishabet.livejournal.com) for the awesome beta (and ego-stroking)! This was written in an incredibly short timespan when I realised that the initial idea I'd had was going to be way too long to finish in time. (... That one will still be written at some point. Eventually.)

Chad sat down on the floor of the practice room, leaning against the wall as his sweat cooled on his body. "Why did I make that bet?" he groaned. His feet and legs were in more pain than he could remember them ever being, more even than after any of his track meets or practices. Even worse, the rest of his body ached, too. Holding his arms in the strict dance position upon which Ryan insisted was much more work that he'd expected, and the muscles across his back and shoulders were telling him exactly that with every breath.

"Because you still don't realise just how much game I have," Ryan retorted, grinning from where he stood towering over Chad. He was sweating, sure. No one could do what they'd just been doing and _not_ be, Chad knew. But for all of that, he wasn't winded, and did not seem to be in any pain. Instead, he was almost glowing.

Chad stamped down on that line of thought immediately.

"You'd think I'd know better, after that baseball game," Chad said, leaning his head back against the wall with a solid 'thump'. "Ow," he said, eliciting a laugh from Ryan. He watched as Ryan moved across the polished, hardwood floor, not quite able to keep from noticing the play of muscle in Ryan's back, visible where his shirt clung tight to his skin with the sweat of their exertions. He'd never noticed before, likely never would have if it weren't for this, but he was truly starting to realise that Ryan hadn't stopped being an athlete just because he'd stopped playing baseball.

"Ryan?" he asked, suddenly filling the silence. The word came just as Ryan stopped the music, where the CD had kept going after their dance ended, and it echoed through the room. Ryan turned to look at Chad, his expression curious. "I was wondering something."

"I'm not going to give you a blowjob just so you can see if guys give better head," Ryan said, almost immediately. Chad had to wonder how many times he'd been asked that. Maybe how many times it had been other Wildcats -- and how many times, drunk at a party or feeling the need himself, Ryan had given in.

He shook his head. "No, it's not that," Chad insisted. "I was..."

Ryan, who'd already started walking back across the floor, stopped for a moment, waiting for Chad to continue; when Chad didn't, Ryan asked, "What? I mean, I'm sorry. What's up?"

"How do you know you're gay?"

There was a long silence. Eventually, Ryan stepped forward, leaning back against the wall and letting himself slide down it so that he was sitting next to Chad. "It's not exactly something I've ever had to think about," he said. "I mean, I've never exactly been closeted. I swear, sometimes I think I came out of the womb barfing rainbows." That got a snort out of Chad, a half-hysterical one.

"But it's. I mean. It's still a stereotype, that you'd have to be gay just because you're into theatre, or musicals, and dance and stuff. So how do you know? For sure?"

It took Ryan a moment longer to respond, here. Chad thought that maybe he was choosing his words carefully, trying to figure out how to explain a feeling with a woefully inadequate language. (A small part of him, at this , directed a mental 'Hah!' in Taylor's direction. She'd never thought him capable of any kind of analysis. Although, truth told, Chad had never tried before, not like this.) Finally, Ryan turned to face Chad directly. "I guess saying, 'Liking guys is a bit of a giveaway!' isn't very helpful, is it?" he asked. "Although that's a big part of it. I've never really thought about girls the way I think about guys. And it's not all sexual, either, even if that's a big part of it. Hey, we're seventeen, right? It's expected.

"But I've never wanted to go on a date with a girl, or wake up in bed with them, or cook them breakfast. I always picture guys that way, like it's all part of the the same thing. The date, the sex, the breakfast... The whole fantasy."

Chad nodded slowly. He almost turned to face Ryan, could feel Ryan's gaze on him, feel it weighing him, measuring him. "So that's it?" he asked. "You like guys, and not girls, so you're gay."

There was a nod, a slow one, from beside him. Chad could feel the air moving, practically, and see it, out of the corner of his eye. "That's about it," Ryan agreed. "I mean, there's really not much more to it. You're right -- the theatre, the dancing, it's all a stereotype. Even the way I act. Hell, half of that's... learned, I guess. Or a side-effect of living with the drama magnet that is Sharpay Evans."

"Even the hats?"

"Oh _hell_ no you did not just comment on the hats." But Chad was able to look at Ryan, finally, to turn his eyes toward his friend, and he could see Ryan's bright smile. "Why are you asking, anyway? I mean, it can't just be that you're curious. You're... You're not wondering about _yourself_, are you? Because if you're about to tell me that you're gay, that would be the fulfillment of about seven different fantasies of mine, half of which include the later involvement of half a tub of Nutella and a bowl of whipped cream."

Chad stared for a moment, his eyes wide, and finally he broke out into full-on laughter. "_Nutella_?" he asked, once he could get the words out between guffaws. "You have fantasies involving Nutella?"

Ryan grinned. "Well, no, but I figured it would break the tension. You know that if you _are_ thinking of coming out to me, I won't say anything, right? And I won't think it means you want to date me, unless you tell me that, too. Just because there are two gay guys in the same school doesn't mean they (we?) automatically need to fall into bed together."

Chad hesitated, words catching in his throat. "I've... been wondering for a while," he admitted. "Pretty much since the baseball game this summer. There were a few comments from some of the Wildcats after we changed clothes, and it got me thinking."

"So where has your wondering brought you?" Ryan asked. "Have you come to any conclusions?"

There was a soft nod, a quiet catch of breath. Chad had looked down again, not meeting Ryan's eyes. "I think... I don't know if I'm gay," Chad admitted. "Maybe I'm bi. I've always _thought_ I liked girls. But I think I like guys, too."

There was a moment of silence, only the distant tapping of rain against the roof, barely audible in the bunker-like practice room at East High. Chad felt Ryan's arm snake around his shoulders, felt it pulling him into a comforting embrace. "You're not the first guy who's come out to me at East High," Ryan admitted. "I won't tell you who, I mean, it's not my secret to tell, but I thought it would help you to know that we're not alone, you and I. There are others out there. Of course, none of them are as fabulous as I am."

"That would be pretty hard," Chad pointed out. "None of them can afford your collection of hats."

"Exactly," Ryan agreed, and Chad was hard-pressed to decide whether or not Ryan was being serious. "But, I mean, we can always... If you ever want to talk," he said. "You've got my number, right? From when we were rehearsing for the talent show this summer?" Chad nodded, and Ryan pulled away a bit. "And I mean it," he added. "I'm not going to expect anything, just because you're into guys. I mean, I wouldn't _complain_, but don't feel you have to rush into anything. This is new for you, and it's a big decision even admitting it to yourself. Let yourself take things as slow as you need to."

There was another moment. Chad nodded, slowly, and then turned to face Ryan once more. "Thanks," he said, smiling again, softly at first, and then into a wider, brighter grin, one that felt familiar on his face. Without thinking about it, Chad leaned in, to give Ryan a kiss on the cheek. It wasn't something Chad remembered doing for anyone, well, not anyone but his grandmother, but it felt right, at that moment, like it was what he was supposed to do.

And, Chad had to admit, the blush that grew across Ryan's face was certainly worth it.

"Seriously, thanks," Chad repeated. "And maybe sometime, we could go out for coffee?"

"I'd like that," Ryan said. "Coffee sounds great."

 

* * *

 

_The bet had been simple: the first person to hit a home run off the other's best pitch got to order the other to do one (non-sexual, Chad had felt the obligation to insist upon; Ryan had rolled his eyes) thing with the other. Chad had planned to order Ryan to try out for the year's baseball team with him; he hadn't given much thought to what Ryan might insist upon. After all, as great a pitcher as Ryan was, Chad was more than confident in his own abilities at bat._

But Ryan had won the coin toss, and chosen to bat first. Chad hadn't worried much about that_, either, since he figured that Ryan must be out of shape, out of practice, and Chad had the best fastball on the East High Wildcats baseball team._

Except, from the minute he heard the resounding crack, he knew he'd lost. He hadn't even needed to turn around and see the ball fly past the fence at the edge of the field.

* * *

 

"So when's the competition again?" Chad asked, struggling with his chopsticks. Ryan almost had enough pity for him to ask for a fork, but he was enjoying the spectacle too much.

"We've got another month," he assured Chad. "I mean, I wouldn't have asked you to do this if I hadn't thought there was time to prepare."

The two were sitting at a table -- Ryan's usual table, although he didn't think Chad had realised that -- in a little Chinese restaurant tucked out-of-the-way in downtown Albuquerque. Ryan had just finished his own meal, and was waiting for Chad to eat the last of his before ordering a dessert. "So you've still got time to make my feet, y'know, work," Chad said, grinning. "That's good."

It had been a month already since the two had had their discussion in the East High dance practice room, and Ryan was pleased that the two of them had become closer friends. Chad was busy with the Wildcats, sure, and Ryan had his drama club obligations. Still, they'd made time around all of that to hang out at least once a week, starting with coffee, and graduating up to full-on dinner. Ryan had been _very_ careful not to call them dates; he hadn't, after all, wanted to freak out Chad. Still, he was starting to think that they might be something very much _like_ dates.

And he was also starting to think that this was not a bad thing. Not a bad thing at all.

Ryan stamped down that thought, instead turning back. "Here," he said, reaching over to readjust Chad's fingers so that the chopsticks would sit properly. "Let me help you with that."

"I can do it!" Chad insisted, pulling away, but he did take a moment to readjust them. "Just, can you show me one more time? With yours, I mean."

Ryan obliged, picking his chopsticks up and letting them settle into the familiar grip. "Got it now?" he asked, grinning. To his surprise, Chad actually seemed to. It was still a little awkward, but his command of the chopsticks was enough that he was able to finish his meal, and quickly.

"So, got anything planned for the rest of the night?" Chad asked. "Or do you want to hang out? I mean, we only ever seem to rehearse, and go for dinner or whatever. I was thinking maybe we could rent a movie or something.

 

Ryan hesitated for a moment before replying. He wasn't sure if what _he_ was reading into this was actually what Chad was thinking. "That... could be fun," he said, finally, and not entirely enthusiastically; Ryan's heart dropped a bit when he saw how Chad's face fell. "No! I mean, I'd like to, I just. I don't want to..."

"Push me?" Chad asked. Ryan nodded; that was, after all, what he'd promised not to do. "Dude, it's just a movie. And, I mean, I like you. You're a good friend. Friends can hang out, watch movies, right?"

"Right," Ryan agreed, although he really had no idea. The last time he'd had a friend before Chad was when he played little league, and that had ended rather explosively when he'd tried to kiss little Tommy Norton behind the equipment shed. "Friends can totally watch movies." His only other friend -- and, yes, Ryan knew full well how sad this was -- was Sharpay, and the only movies they watched together, Sharpay picked out. And then she'd spend half of it critiquing the fashion being worn by the lead, or -- if it was a musical -- complaining about how she could play the role so much better.

She'd even said that about _Legally Blonde_, and it had been all Ryan could do not to blurt out that his sister was definitely not Laura Bell Bundy.

"So c'mon. I mean, we can stop and rent one, or I've got lots at home. Mom's even got some musicals."

Ryan laughed. "You'd watch a musical with me?" he asked. "I wouldn't have thought you'd be into that at all."

Chad shrugged, smirking a bit. "Well, if you like them so much," he said, "they've got to be doing something right. I figured I could give them another chance. Just as long as we _don't_ watch Phantom of the Opera."

"I am _so_ not showing you _anything_ by Webber," Ryan insisted. "If you want to come over to my place, I've got a copy of Into the Woods. Stephen Sondheim at his best."

The minute he said it, Ryan knew that he'd hate what Chad said next. He was right.

"Who's Stephen Sondheim?"

"Chad, my friend, you have _so much_ to learn."

* * *

 

The night was going better than Ryan had expected, really. There was none of the weird tension he'd thought there would be, and while, yes, he certainly wouldn't _object_ to spending the movie making out with Chad, there didn't seem to be any _expectation_ of it.

_And_ Chad was enjoying Into the Woods.

"I've got to call my mom," Chad said, as the DVD hit intermission. Ryan obligingly reached for the remote to pause the movie before it started up again. "If I don't call when I'm going to be late, I lose the car for a week."

"What time do you need to be home by?" Ryan asked. "I mean, we can stop here if you need to."

Chad shook his head. "No, it's okay," he said. "I mean, I just need to call. She'll understand if we're watching a movie. Honestly, if I tell her I'm watching and enjoying a musical, she'll probably buy me a cake or something."

"... Because you're watching a musical?"

"Dude, have I not told you about her Michael Crawford diet plan?"

Ryan wasn't going to ask. He was _not_ going to ask. There was no way he wanted to know whatever it was that Chad was talking about.

"Michael Crawford diet plan?"

"I have _no idea_," Chad explained. "All I know is that it involves a picture of Michael Crawford _in_ the refrigerator. Not on, _in_. Honestly, I've skipped some meals just because I was too freaked out by it to open the fridge and get something to eat."

Yeah. Ryan _really_ hadn't wanted to know that. "Chad?" he said. "Your mother is weird."

"Trust me, I know," Chad replied. "I've been living with her for seventeen years."

Chad got up and stepped away, just outside the TV room door, to make the call to his mother, and Ryan had to admire the manners; there weren't a lot of guys their age that he knew who would do that, that he knew of. Most of them, Ryan thought, would just make the call there, manners be damned. Ryan, waiting, sat back into the couch and toyed with the remote. He was just contemplating getting up and grabbing some popcorn when Chad returned. "I'm safe," he said, grinning. "I told her I was with a friend and we were watching a movie. She said it was fine, and to give her a call when I'm on my way home so she'd know to expect me."

"That's reasonable," Ryan offered. "I mean, I'm not used to... My parents don't have those kinds of rules for Sharpay and I. I guess we're kind of spoiled, that way. But it's a lot better than I guess I thought rules like that would be."

Chad nodded. "My parents used to be a lot more strict, too," he explained. "Part of it's just that I'm a senior now, I think. But it's... I dunno. It's kinda like, ever since I... Y'know. Told you. I've been more confident or something, or confident in a different way, and I think it's helped my parents trust me more."

"Well, you are being more honest with yourself," Ryan pointed out. "I've kinda noticed it, too. You're less cocky, I guess? Not that being cocky's a bad thing, but it's like you trust yourself more. Less bravado."

Chad flopped back down onto the couch beside Ryan, letting his arms run across the back; if Ryan shifted just a bit, he knew, Chad's arm would be more-or-less right across his shoulders. He didn't move.

But that was okay, because Chad did move, letting his arm fall across Ryan. Ryan tensed at the touch, at first, and he felt Chad start to move away. He forced himself to relax, to lean in, and he smiled as Chad relaxed, too, leaving his arm where it was.

Ryan reached out to grab the remote, turning the movie back on, but other than that, neither moved until the movie ended.

* * *

 

"Chad! Where were you last night?"

Chad frowned at Troy's words, thinking back -- he'd spent the evening with Ryan, but that wasn't anything unusual, not lately. They'd rehearsed, first, for the dance competition, and then gone from there to a diner on the outskirts of town that Chad loved -- and now, so did Ryan. He wasn't about to _tell_ Troy this, of course, as it would require far too much explanation, but he couldn't think of anything that would cause Troy to ask that particular question. "I was out," he said, shrugging. "Why, what's up?"

"I was trying to get ahold of you all night," he said. "Wasn't your phone on?" Chad reached down to his pocket, wondering why his phone hadn't rung, but it was obvious when he pulled it out: seventeen missed calls, four text messages, and a little icon at the top of the screen indicating 'silent mode'. He'd forgotten to turn his ringer back on after rehearsal. All but one of the calls, and all four text messages, were from Troy. The last call was from this morning, from Ryan, about half an hour before.

"Sorry, man," Chad said, honestly contrite. "What's going on? Normally you don't try sixteen times to call me."

Troy, Chad realised, was looking a little bit frantic. Or worried. Some kind of agitated-ness-thing. "There's rumours going around that you're..." Troy glanced up and down the hallway, and, when he was satisfied that no one was close enough to hear, he leaned in and whispered, "dating Ryan Evans."

Chad blinked once. Twice. Tried to come up with words to respond to that. "Seriously?" he asked. "No, we've been hanging out a lot, but we're just friends."

"Yeah, but isn't he..." Troy trailed off. "I mean, not that there's a problem with that. I mean, he is, but you're not, right? You'd have told me if you were?"

"Were what? Gay?" Chad grinned. A tiny part of him (well, perhaps not _so_ tiny) was feeling delighted at the little bit of malicious revenge, for the way Troy had treated them all at Lava Springs this past summer. "Why?" he asked. "Got any reason to be interested?"

The sight of a flailing Troy was more than enough to satisfy the malicious little voice, but not enough to push Chad so far as to feel guilty. Lava Springs -- for all the good it had brought in the end -- had _hurt_. "What? No! I mean, I'm straight! You know that. I love Gabriella!"

"Then why the interest?" Chad asked. "You don't want me for yourself, so whether I'm gay or straight really shouldn't matter to you, should it?"

There was a moment before Troy spoke. "I... guess not?" he answered, sounding entirely uncertain of himself. "But... does that mean you're gay?"

Chad contemplated banging his head against his locker door. He barely resisted the urge. "I'm not dating Ryan Evans," he said. "We're just hanging out." He grabbed the last of the books he needed for his first few classes and turned to walk away. He was unable to resist looking back over his shoulder, though, and adding, "I think I might _want_ to date him, though. You don't know if he's single, do you?"

Okay, _now_ that little malicious voice was satisfied. That spluttering flail was delicious.

"Chad!"

Chad turned to see Ryan running towards him. "Hey," he said, smiling. "Sorry I didn't answer my phone earlier, I left the ringer off after rehearsal yesterday. And I think I just came out to Troy."

"Did he ask you about the rumours?"

The bell rang just as Chad nodded. "Yeah," he said. "I'm not worried about them if you're not. Listen, you want to meet up at lunch? I've got something I want to talk to you about."

"Sure," Ryan agreed, nodding. "Want to just meet in the cafeteria, head out from there?"

"Sounds like a plan." Chad shifted his books a bit and grinned. "I'll see you then. Save me a seat." He turned back towards his class, unable to stop from smiling.

Of course, the day was destined to go downhill from there.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, Danforth! I hear you've got yourself a little fag friend now. You playing for the pansy team?"

Chad sat down in his seat in chemistry lab, rolling his eyes and ignoring the Wildcat wrestler two tables behind him. He couldn't even remember the guy's name, so he wasn't about to give his words any credence.

"I hear they give better head," said someone else. Chad was surprised when he turned and saw that it was one of his basketball teammates. "Do guys give better head? Hey, Danforth, why don't you show me after class?"

Chad wasn't sure what he'd expected to come out of the rumours. He hadn't given it much thought beyond the encounter with Troy earlier in the day. Still, whatever he _had_ expected, it _wasn't this_. Still, he was hardly going to back down. "Sorry," he said. "I'll be too busy kicking your ass in practice next period. Besides, I'd need tweezers to do anything with it." He smirked as he waited for Kenny to work through that, and was saved from retaliation by the entrance of their teacher. Class proceeded normally after that. Mr. Tyler was too strict for anyone to try anything. Chad knew that it was a brief reprieve, though, and nothing more.

He should have expected the next problems to be in the changing room. Troy was already at his locker when Chad entered, and he was doing very poorly at hiding his nerves. Half the team wouldn't look at Chad, and the other half was outright disgusted, making comments much like Kenny and the wrestler had made in chem lab.

But it was Troy's father that _really_ surprised Chad. "Danforth, my office, now." And, without waiting for an answer, Mr. Bolton walked away.

A hush fell over the changing room; Chad threw on his jersey and walked into the coach's office. "Something wrong, Coach?" he asked.

"Close the door, Chad," Coach Bolton said. Chad, suddenly a lot more nervous, did so. "I'm disappointed in you, Chad," he said. "I don't care if you're gay or straight, but what you do affects the team. The team comes first, you know that. If you're going to... do this, I'm going to have to ask you to resign."

That was unexpected. Well, maybe not entirely, Chad allowed, but he hadn't expected the coach to just come out and say it like that.

"You do realise," he said, slowly, "that you're asking me to resign from the team over a _rumour_ that I'm dating a guy? You haven't asked me if it's true. You haven't given me the benefit of the doubt. Yeah, you _really_ don't care if I'm gay or straight." A surge of anger rushed through Chad. "I could sue over this, you realise," he continued. "Discrimination. Ryan and I have talked about it -- you know, the guy I'm supposedly dating? We're just friends, by the way. The rumours aren't true. So thank you, Coach, for letting me know _exactly_ where I stand on this team. You know what? I'm not even going to bother fighting this. If this is the way I'm going to be treated, I don't _want_ to be on the team anymore."

"Wait, Chad-" Coach Bolton began, but Chad had already marched out of the office and back towards his locker.

"Give this to your dad," Chad said, shucking his jersey and tossing it unceremoniously at Troy. "Apparently an unproven rumour that I'm gay is more important than the three years I've put into this team." He grabbed his shirt from his locker and tossed it on before hooking his backpack over his shoulder and stalking out of the locker room. He knew exactly where Ryan would be right then, and he wanted nothing more at that moment than to see his friend -- maybe his _only_ friend.

"Chad?"

Of course Gabriella would choose that moment to show up.

"Hey, Gabriella." Chad resigned himself to the fact that he'd have to say _something_ to her.

"I'm glad I found you. I wanted to apologise for Troy," she said. Which was _not_ what Chad had expected. "I think you surprised him this morning. I was wondering, though, if what you said was true? I mean, I don't mind, I really don't. My cousin's gay. He came out a couple of years ago. I just wanted you to know... If it _is_ true, if you do want to date Ryan, I could talk to Troy for you? Maybe help him understand it a little better. And help him understand why you didn't tell him before."

Chad decided right there that he regretted every uncharitable thing he'd ever thought about Goody-Two-Shoes Gabriella. "Thanks, Gabriella," he said, his grin back already. "The rumours aren't true," he explained. "I'm not dating Ryan." He hesitated a moment, but this day was going that direction already. "But what I said to Troy's true, too," he added. "I think I _want_ to date Ryan."

Gabriella rushed over and enveloped Chad in a hug. "I'll talk to him," she said, smiling back. "He'll come around." She paused. "Aren't you supposed to be in basketball practi-" She stopped mid-word, frowning deeply. "My mother knows a lawyer who works with the ACLU, if you need some advice."

"I don't think it's going to come to that," Chad said, "but thanks. Right now, I think I just want to go find Ryan."

"He and Kelsi are in the music room," Gabriella mentioned. "I think they're working on the music for a dance piece."

Chad knew exactly what piece she was talking about. "Thanks," though, was all he said. "I'll look for them there."

* * *

The door to the music room was cracked open a little: just enough for Chad to hear, as he approached, the conversation going on inside. "But what if he doesn't want to hang out with me anymore?" Ryan was asking. "I mean, his reputation -- he could, I don't know, decide that being macho and playing basketball are more important than hanging out with me."

Chad didn't wait for Kelsi to reply. "Doesn't matter," he said, smirking just a bit. "Apparently there's plenty of room on the team for a gay guy, as long as he doesn't do anything like _date_ a guy. Because that's disrupting team spirit or something." He paused. "Gabriella already offered her mother's friend in the ACLU, in case you're wondering, and I think Troy's going to be getting a lecture." Another pause. "Hey, Kelsi."

"Hi, Chad," replied the diminutive composer. She grinned. "Should I leave you two alone?"

"If you don't mind," Chad said. Kelsi shook her head, kissed Ryan chastely on the cheek, gathered up her papers, and left the room without another word. Although she did grin a little wider over her shoulder as she closed the door -- tightly -- behind her. "So. I got kicked off the team."

Ryan was staring wide-eyed. "We can fix this!" he said. "I mean, we can stop hanging out. You can tell them it was a mistake, or something. Just rumours."

"You're assuming I want to," Chad pointed out. He moved over to the piano bench that Kelsi had vacated, and patted the surface right beside him, gesturing for Ryan to join him. "I've been thinking a lot about the rumours today. I mean, they're not true. We're not dating." He paused, and the events of the past few months clicked into place. "Okay, so I was wrong. We've totally been dating. But it doesn't count if I didn't realise it."

"I was hoping it would go on long enough that you wouldn't freak when you figured it out," Ryan explained, letting some of his familiar humour back into his demeanour.

Chad laughed. "Well, no freaking here," he said. "But I do have a plan. You still want to meet me in the cafeteria at lunchtime? I've got a couple of things I need to get ready first, but I wanted to check in with you, make sure that we're on the same page."

"I'll see you there," Ryan said, nodding. "I have to admit, I'm more than a little worried about this plan of yours."

"Don't be," Chad insisted. He leaned in and brushed his lips against Ryan's. "After all, I learned from the best."

"Sharpay?"

"Please, no. Taylor."

There was another brief kiss, and then they said their goodbyes and Chad walked out of the room. Kelsi was sitting against the wall just outside, her nose buried in book. "He's all yours," Chad said, grinning at her. Kelsi grinned back.

"Funny," she said. "I was thinking that he's all _yours_."

Chad wondered exactly how much Ryan _told_ Kelsi, but decided that it was probably just as much as he thought it was.

He left the vicinity of the practice room and began walking towards the drama room, where Darbus spent her time during free period when there wasn't a show in rehearsal or production. Of course, he stopped again when the theme of the day recurred:

"Chad."

"You know," he said, turning to face Sharpay, "if people keep saying my name like that, I'm going to develop a complex. Although I'm glad you showed up, you're just who I was looking for."

Sharpay frowned. "You were looking for _me_? I think you have the wrong Evans twin in mind, Chad."

"Nah, I just spoke to Ryan. I needed to ask you something."

There was a moment where Sharpay looked at Chad as if she honestly didn't know how to react. "You... want to ask me something?" she repeated. "Does this have something to do with the rumours going around the school? I'm not going to lie for you, Chad. If people ask me if you're dating, I'm going to have to tell them yes."

"Well, okay," Chad said, shrugging. "Everyone already believes it anyway, and I guess Ryan and I kinda have been." This was _not_ the reaction Sharpay had expected, Chad realised, as she went red, then white, then red again, in quick succession.

"You mean you're not denying it like some jerky jock homophobe?" she asked. "I'm surprised, Danforth. I didn't give you that much credit."

Apparently, Chad reflected, Ryan really _didn't_ tell Sharpay everything. "Anyway, I wanted to ask if you could make sure that the drama society table is clear at lunch," he said. "I need it for something -- something Ryan's going to _like_, and I think you will, too. Can you have them sit somewhere else?"

There was a calculating gaze now, and Chad felt oddly naked under it. "I suppose I can arrange something," Sharpay agreed. "But this better be good, Chad. If you hurt Ryan in any way, I'll have Daddy put out a hit on you." She turned and stalked away, leaving Chad to wonder exactly how serious she was.

It was the fact that he _had_ to wonder that made him worry very much for his continued well-being as he dated Ryan.

"Chad?"

"I really am going to develop a complex," Chad muttered, turning to Taylor, who was approaching from the direction opposite where Sharpay had left. "Hi," he said, louder. "I guess you've heard the rumours?"

"And probably eight different evolutions," his ex-girlfriend -- if you could call someone an ex after two perfectly boring dates and not even a kiss to show for it. "Did you know that Ryan and Sharpay have apparently bought you, Troy, and Zeke into slavery for their harem?"

Chad stared. "People are _not_ really saying that," he said. "They can't be."

"Martha heard it from Jason, who heard it from four different people," Taylor explained. "Although some variations involve Coach Bolton being in on it."

They shared a shudder at the thought.

"You don't..." Chad began. "I mean. I guess I should probably explain?"

Taylor shook her head. "It's... not surprising," she said. "I mean, if it's true. Is it?"

Chad grinned at that. "Well, I hadn't _thought_ it was, but then I kinda realised that we've been dating without me realising it. You always said I was a clueless, lunkhead basketball neanderthal."

Taylor playfully slapped at Chad's shoulder. "If it had happened while we were dating," she said, "I'd have been upset, but as it is, it mostly just makes sense. And it's not like I think I turned you off girls," she pointed out. "I mean, I don't know that there's any one theory I ascribe to when it comes to homosexuality, but there's no evidence that it's formed any later than early childhood."

"I'll pretend I know what you're talking about," Chad said, grinning. "Oh, and can you make sure that Gabriella's in the cafeteria at lunchtime today? I think Troy might need the support. And... Thank you." He paused. "I got kicked off the team."

"Gabriella's mother knows an ACLU lawyer," Taylor said, "and I've already got four different cases researched." A moment passed. "I mean, I thought this might happen, is all."

Chad wondered if this was what being _friends_ \-- honest to God real friends -- with a girl was like. He decided he liked it. "Thanks," he said. "Gabriella already mentioned her mom's friend, but if I do decide to fight this, I'll need all the help I can get."

"If you don't fight it," Taylor said, "I'm going to kick your ass into next Tuesday."

* * *

Chad hung back, a little nervously, in an out-of-the-way hallway near the cafeteria. The period was almost over, which mean that people on a free period -- mostly juniors and seniors like himself, who were either done with their activities already, or simply didn't have them -- were drifting towards it. Any moment now the bell would ring, signalling the rush of the rest of the student body.

The bell rang. He saw Gabriella pass by the end of the hallway, Troy and Taylor a few steps behind. Sharpay went the other direction, her drama club minions in tow. The Wildcats, by which Chad meant the rest of the basketball team, swarmed by a few moments later.

And then Ryan went by. Chad's heart leapt up into his throat for a moment as he wondered _what the hell he was about to do_, but he pushed back the nerves the way he did before every big game. He waited another moment or two, another minute, until he figured most people who were going to the cafeteria would already be there, then he left his hiding place to enter the cafeteria proper.

Like always, the wave of sound that swept over him as the door opened before him came as a shock to his system, no matter how much he expected it. There was so much chatter going on, so much noise, that it was an assault to his ears in a way that a basketball crowd wasn't. There was focus, there, people cheering, people screaming for _them_. This was just noise. Chaos.

Chad looked around first for Ryan, and spotted him sitting, alone, at a table on the bottom level, off in a corner. He considered heading there first, but he saw, too, that Sharpay had been exactly as good as her word and, in her absence, no one else had dared sit at _her_ drama club table. He walked down the stairs to that level, walked up to the table. Stepped onto the bench. Stepped onto the table itself.

He looked out over the bulk of the cafeteria below him and took a deep breath.

One of the advantages of hanging out with Ryan Evans was that, whether he'd wanted to or not, he had at least learned _something_ about how to project. The breathing control exercises they'd done as part of the dance training helped, too. This was what Chad put to use, standing above the student population of East High.

"I'd like you all to know," he yelled, as clearly as he could. The chatter started to fall away as people noticed him, turned to look at him, stopped talking. "I'd like you all to know," Chad repeated, "that the rumours going around today aren't true. I have not been dating Ryan Evans." He risked a glance over towards where Ryan sat, saw Ryan's eyes go dark. Saw him look away. "That doesn't mean," he continued, grinning now. He knew that he was probably committing social suicide, that he was ruining any chance of getting back on the team, but he had to try. "That doesn't mean that I don't want to. Hey, Ryan! Want to go out with me?"

As if they'd rehearsed it, Ryan stood up and walked a few steps towards him. "What, honestly?" he asked, his projection so much more natural than Chad's. "Okay, but only if you cut that ridiculous hair and wear a hat instead!"

People laughed.

Chad looked around at their fellow students. People were laughing -- and not _at_ them. Gabriella and Taylor were giggling, and Kelsi, too, at a table near them where she sat with Martha and Jason. Other people were laughing, too: Ryan's hats, after all, were legendary in the school. Troy looked mostly confused, but that wasn't anything new. Chad assumed Gabriella would explain it all later.

There were a few glowers, still, for all the laughter, and people were muttering, whispering. Time to go for the kill.

"Y'know, nine months ago, I would never have imagined standing up here," Chad proclaimed. "Of course, nine months ago, Troy Bolton was the Hoops Dude, and I was his wacky, better-dressed sidekick. We ruled the school. What team?"

There was a ragged reply of, "Wildcats!" A few strong voices stood out, Gabriella and Ryan among them.

"I said, '_What team?_'" This time the reply was stronger, more together, but still not where Chad wanted it. "What team!"

"_Wildcats!_" The call, Chad swore, shook the room. The banners on the wall even swayed a bit in the breeze, or so he imagined.

"Wildcats!" he called back, grinning. And, on cue, he joined the crowd to cry, "Getcha head in the game!

"This is the game," Chad added, into the silence that followed the call. "_This_. Not basketball, not theatre, not even high school. _Real life._ Do you guys really think it matters if I like guys? I mean, you accepted Zeke, and he bakes!" Laughter again, this time more of the crowd. Zeke's continued experiments in the kitchen had become a legend in their own right, rising almost to the status in the school's mind of Ryan's hats. "Nine months ago, Troy Bolton decided to sing in the school musical, and he brought us all together. We realised that we're all in it together. Today, you guys showed me that this didn't mean anything. That we're not as accepting as we told ourselves we were.

"Okay, so I like guys. I admit it. I'm gay, and I totally like Ryan Evans. Y'know what? I can _still_ kick all y'all's asses on the basketball court."

Chad stopped and took another deep breath, hoping that his nerves didn't show.

He waited through a long moment of silence... and the crowd burst into cheers, leaping to their feet. Martha, Chad could see, was (unsurprisingly) breaking out the hip-hop. He did have to wonder, though, when the marching band had arrived, just in time to swing the crowd up into a rousing chorus of Kelsi's finale from Twinkle Towne. Off to the side of the room, Ryan was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, one knee cocked. It was the sexiest thing Chad could remember seeing.

Ever.

He walked down the staircase and let himself get pulled into the impromptu party that had begun. He rode the swell of people until he escaped right by Ryan. "I don't think they'll notice if we sneak away," Chad said. "You?"

"Oh," Ryan replied, smirking, "I'll definitely notice." He reached out, then hesitated, but before he could pull his hand back, Chad took it and pulled him out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

_His mother had looked at him over the table, this one particular night, not long after the fateful employee baseball game. "You know that I love you, Chad, no matter what?" she asked. "You can tell me anything."_

His father had been away on business, one of those rare trips that took him out of state; his older brothers had decided not to come home that summer, instead finding an apartment near their university; his younger brother and sister were with friends for the evening. It was just the two of them. Chad had never heard the house so quiet.

"I know," he said, realising that he'd waited too long. "Is something wrong?"

His mother's gaze was penetrating, as if she were trying to look deep into his core; after a long pause, she shook her head. "No," she said. "Nothing's wrong. Just remember that I'll always love you, no matter what. Your father, too."

* * *

After the lunch period ended, Ryan and Chad -- as thoroughly debauched as a makeout session can make one -- went their separate ways. Ryan headed to class, and Chad said he was doing the same, but instead he ducked out of the school and headed for the old equipment shed by the track field. No one would be around, he knew, and he needed the privacy for something.

He hit the speed dial on his phone, and heard it ring three times before it was picked up. "Chad?" his mother asked. "Is something wrong? Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"No," he said. "Nothing's wrong, exactly, but I needed to call you. There's something I need to tell you, something important. You... might be getting a call from the school, and not just about skipping class."

There were a few seconds of silence. Chad pulled the phone away from his ear to check and make sure he hadn't lost the call. "What is it, Chad?" his mother finally asked.

"Well, I didn't want to tell you this way," he said. "I mean, I'd rather tell you in person. But I wanted you to hear it from me, and at this point this is the only way I can guarantee that." He took a calming breath. "Mom, I'm gay."

"Yes, and?" she asked. "Chad, what's so important that you had to miss class?"

"Mom," Chad repeated, "I'm _gay_." He paused. "And I got kicked off the basketball team."

His mother hissed. "Oh, Chad," she said. "I know that must hurt. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I think I can take care of it," Chad explained, realising that he had the _best mother in the entire world_. "I've already kinda started. But... I just wanted you to hear it from me." He could almost hear his mother's beaming grin. "And I'm sorry for skipping class."

"You could have at least called on your lunch break," she said, but Chad knew that she was just keeping up appearances. Her tone of voice said she clearly wasn't particularly concerned about it at this point. "We'll talk to your father tonight," she added. "But he loves you, same as I do. It may take some getting used to..."

"But I expected that," Chad assured his mother. "You know, there needs to be a mom of the year award or something."

His mother's laugh was tinny through the cellphone speaker. "I'll see you when you get home," she said. "And invite Ryan over for dinner this weekend. You two are dating, aren't you?"

"Well, we are now," Chad replied. "It's a little complicated. I'll tell you the whole story when I get home. Which'll be a little earlier today, since I don't have practice."

"Love you, Chad," his mother repeated.

"Love you, too. Bye." He disconnected the line, and leaned back against the wall of the equipment shed. That went... Well, he hadn't expected it to go badly, but Chad was certainly glad it had gone as well as it did. He grinned up at the sky. He really did have the best mom ever.

* * *

The conversation with his father had gone well. Neither Chad nor his mother were terribly surprised that he'd suspected already. There'd been some awkwardness with the idea, but nothing that had Chad worried. In fact, when he flopped down onto his bed, he was smiling brightly. His smile widened even further when his cell rang, thanks to the name that came up on the call display. "Hey, Ryan," he said, after hitting answer. "What's up?"

"Not much," Ryan said. "Just thinking about my sexy boyfriend."

"Oh, yeah?" Chad asked. "What's his name? I'd like to meet him."

The two laughed, but when it faded, the conversation turned serious. "That was a really stupid risk you took today, Chad," Ryan said. "I mean, it was awesome, don't get me wrong, but what if it hadn't worked?"

"I'd have convinced you to convince your mom to pay to send us both to private school," Chad said, grinning. "Think it would have worked?"

Ryan took long enough to reply that Chad figured he was actually considering it. "Only if things had gotten bad enough," Ryan answered, finally. "Like, death threats or actual physical bullying or something."

"If things hadn't worked today," Chad said, "it probably wouldn't have taken long."

"Do you think you're going to end up back on the team?" Ryan asked. "Or do you even want to?"

Chad shrugged, even though he knew Ryan couldn't see it. "I think Coach just panicked," Chad explained. "He's not exactly what you'd call, y'know." Chad took a moment to phrase it. "Well, he pretty much only thinks about the team. And if things had gone on the way they were, it definitely would have disrupted things. I don't even think it was about being gay, with him, it was just. I was what had changed, so far as he could see, so I was what had to go."

"So if things are good tomorrow, and you dating me won't disrupt the team..."

"Then there's no reason for me to remain kicked off. Or to involve any lawyers."

"I'll call mine in the morning, then, and let her know our dinner meeting is off." A beat. "I was joking, by the way. I hadn't called her." Another beat. "Yet."

Chad laughed. "Ryan?" he said. "Never change."

"Not planning on it."

They kept talking: Chad made sure to mention his mother's invitation to dinner, and Ryan talked about how Sharpay had been pissed that she'd missed Chad's 'spectacular performance'. It wasn't until Chad realised he'd missed the last three sentences Ryan had spoken that he realised he was drifting off. "Listen," he said, "I think I'm falling asleep. I'll see you at school in the morning?"

"Don't forget we have rehearsal tomorrow, too," Ryan said. "The competition's just a couple of weeks away."

"I'll be there," Chad said. "Love you." And he clicked off his phone, rolled over, and went to sleep.

* * *

_"I don't even think you realised you said it," Ryan will say, smiling at Chad. Little Tyler will run through the hallway, being chased by his older brother, Mitchell, and Chad will marvel at the fact that he and Ryan are raising these two beautiful boys. "You were almost asleep already. I think it just slipped out."_

"I definitely don't remember it," Chad will reply. "I mean, that was twenty years ago now. How do you_ remember it?"_

Ryan's laugh won't have changed a bit. Chad will be grateful for that fact, and will fall in love with it again every time he hears it. "I'm an actor, remember," Ryan will say. "It's my job to remember the little details like that."

"At least I remember when you first said it to me." Chad will grin, and lean over to poke his partner in the shoulder. "The dance competition. When we won."

"Can you blame me? I mean, in two months, I turned you into a star_."_

* * *

Chad let himself drop down onto the bench, sweat covering him, pouring from him. He leaned back against the cool concrete wall of the wing. "That was _incredible_," he said. "I mean, that was back-to-back champions kind of awesome. Is it like that every time?"

Ryan flopped down beside his boyfriend, grinning madly. "Nah," he said. "Sometimes it sucks. But sometimes it's _better_."

"No fucking way," Chad said, vehemently. "No way does it get better than that."

Leaning his head against Chad's shoulder, Ryan laughed. "That was two of us," he said. "Two people, some judges, and a small audience. Imagine an entire cast, working together. A packed auditorium. A full orchestra. It's better than _sex_, sometimes."

Chad stiffened a bit. "We..." he began. "You know, we haven't really spoken about that."

"About what? Doing bigger shows? I'm game if you are."

"No, I mean-" Chad bit off his sentence. "I just mean, we haven't really spoken about sex yet."

Ryan laughed again, a little bit harder, although he did make sure to keep himself quiet enough that he wouldn't interrupt the next pair on stage. "Later?" he asked. "I mean, I'm all good to talk about it now, but if we do I'm liable to jump you right here and that might get us disqualified."

"Later, then," Chad agreed. "I'm mean, I'm not saying let's rush into it, but." It was with no small measure of relief that Chad cut off mid-sentence as the pair on stage finished their routine and exited on the opposite side of the stage. A few moments later, a stagehand came up to them.

"The judges will be making their announcement in a few minutes," he explained. "They've asked all the pairs to be ready on stage." Ryan nodded at him, and he left. Neither Ryan nor Chad moved right away, preferring instead to sit there, enjoying each other's presence, a few moments longer.

"We should get out there," Ryan said, eventually. "C'mon." He levered himself up, and then pulled Chad up after him. "Besides, I can't wait to see the look on their faces of all those girls' faces when they see that two guys won."

Chad laughed. "Confident, aren't you?" he asked, but he followed along happily, still riding the performance high. "Hey, you guys were great," Chad mentioned to one of the other pairs on the stage. He recognised the girl as one of the West High cheerleaders. He'd seen her frequently at games.

"Not as great as you guys!" she replied, grinning. "It's nice to see a basketball player who's not afraid to do something a little different." Her partner rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't even say it, Alexei," she said to him. "Alexei thinks that two guys shouldn't dance together," the girl explained to Chad. "Says it's not right."

"Well, it's not against the rules," Ryan interjected. "And I don't see what's so wrong about it, anyway. You get some additional strength, sure, but women have other physical advantages over guys. There's lots of stuff we can't do -- some of the lifts, especially." He smirked at Alexei. "It balances out. Or are you just jealous that we've got the balls to be true to ourselves, off stage _and_ on?"

"I will not be beat," Alexei retorted, his eyes dark. His accent was thick and Russian, so Chad assumed he was an exchange student. "Especially not by stupid jock man and his pansy partner."

Ryan and Chad shared a look before breaking up laughing. "If you ever feel like ditching him," Ryan said to the girl, "look us up. I'm in the book -- Ryan Evans. We'll hang."

"Candy Walters," the cheerleader said. "And thanks, I'll do that. Now, Alexei, are you going to _behave_?" Alexei just rolled his eyes again, and the two walked off to stand somewhere _else_ on stage.

The judges returned to their seats in the audience, prompting the pairs gathered on stage to quiet down. One of them stood and turned to face the audience gathered behind them. "We'd like to thank you all for coming out to the Albuquerque Amateur Pairs Mixed Dance Competition," she said. "As you've all seen, we have a great deal of talent here in our city, and deciding who stands out as the best is not an easy choice. However, this year, we felt there were three truly stand-out pairs.

"First, in third place, the pair of Candace Walters and Alexei Kryshov, with their hip-hop ballroom piece entitled, 'Into the Awakening Sun.' We felt that their innovative combination of the two styles showed creativity and originality, and their technical skills show true dedication to the artform. Ms. Walters, Mr. Kryshov, if you'll please step forward?"

Chad watched as they came forward and one of the judges' assistants brought them their trophy. His heart was starting to race again, and he wondered how Ryan could stand it. At least with basketball, with any sport, you knew where you stood when the buzzer went off.

"In second place," the judges' spokeswoman continued, "with their Latin-inspired piece using music from the Dirty Dancing franchise, are Andrea Mcintyre and Gavin Blane, chosen for their accuracy and attention to detail. Ms. Mcintyre, Mr. Blane, your trophy.

"And finally, we have our first place team. This was not an easy decision for us; certainly this pair is unconventional at best. Still, the showmanship, artistry, and technical skill of this final pair made it, in the end, no decision at all. This year's first place winning pair, and the winner of the $1000 bursary for continued dance training, is Ryan Evans and Chad Danforth, for their mixed-styles piece 'The Music In Me'."

Later, Chad wasn't quite sure he could accurately remember those next few moments. It was mostly a blur, really, with a hundred different emotions running through his head. He knew, though, that what he wanted most of all at that moment was to grab Ryan and kiss him.

He didn't, though, and the moment passed. The trophy and the mock-check for the bursary were brought on stage and presented to them, then he and Ryan bowed graciously, waved to the audience, tried (mostly successfully) not to gloat in front of the other dancers. The one thing that really _did_ stick out in Chad's mind, though, for the longest time afterwards, was what Ryan said to him on that stage, through the applause from the audience, from their fellow performers.

"I love you," Ryan said, before throwing his arms around Chad and hugging him mercilessly. At that moment, Chad felt he could do _anything_.

He wondered what Troy would say if he auditioned for the next school musical. Maybe he could convince Darbus to do a dance showcase, or something. Troy could sing, but he absolutely _failed_ at dancing.

All at once, the dancers were being rushed off the stage, and Chad found himself in his mother's arms. "You were _fantastic_, Chad," she said, kissing him on the forehead. "I never thought to see you do something like that. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Mom," he said, grinning at her. He glanced over at Ryan. "Y'know, I was thinking. Maybe I would like to take classes with Ryan. We've got the bursary, after all, and Ryan's probably got a private teacher already, anyway."

"What about your sports?" she asked. "Will you have time?"

Chad shrugged. "So I'll drop track or something. Mom, I _really like_..." He hesitated. "This. I really like dancing." And Ryan, too. Which he'd been about to say. From his mother's glance at Ryan, where he was talking with his own parents, Chad assumed that she knew exactly what he hadn't said there. "I never thought I would, but it was _amazing_ up there."

"We'll figure something out," she assured him. "Now, why don't you and Ryan go off and celebrate, hmm? Don't worry about calling tonight. I'll expect you to be late." Chad nodded, grinning, and ran over to throw his arms around Ryan.

"Congratulations, Chad!" Ryan's mother said. "It's nice to see all that hard work paying off. Ryan tells me that you're not planning to continue with dance? That's such a waste."

Ryan's father laughed. "Come on now, Darby. The boy's a Wildcat! I bet you can't wait to get back on the basketball court, son."

"Actually, sir," Chad said, his hand snaking down to grab Ryan's and hold it tight. "I was just telling my mother that I'm thinking of dropping one of my sports, and taking dance lessons with Ryan instead."

Ryan's eyes were wide. "Really?" he said, completely shocked. "You'd -- Really?"

Chad leaned in, his forehead resting against Ryan's. "Really," he confirmed. "I mean, we can't stop now. Surely there must be another competition we need to prepare for."

Ryan laughed. "One thing's true: there's always another competition."

They had to mingle a little more; the judges came up to congratulate them personally, of course, and no less than four local teachers came up to offer their business cards. Eventually, though, Chad and Ryan had a moment to sneak off by themselves. They found a convenient patch of wall to slide down, to lean against. It was cool enough that it sapped the excess heat from their bodies, a welcome relief. "So," Chad said, smiling at Ryan. "I think I figured out why I agreed to that bet."


End file.
